Hello,
My 20 yr old granddaughter and I have seen a lot of the major sights in London, and would like suggestions for things we might not think of. Also, suggestions for trips about an hour out of London - but not Windsor as we have been there. Suggestions for the best Indian restaurants and Chippy near Kensington would also be appreciated.
Thank you!
Here's a very recent post that may give you some ideas.
There are so many! If you can provide a bit more info about what kind of things you like (e.g. historic homes, smaller museums, particular subjects or time periods that interest you) then I can advise. Same for day trips- there are many so if you can provide more info that can help narrow it down.
For Indian restaurants near Kensington, there is a Dishoom just off High Street Kensington.
If you're Ted Lasso fans, a day trip to Richmond is easily done. When I was there last year, there was a very nice little resale shop right by the two phone boxes. I had hoped to combine this with the treetop walk in Kew Gardens, but it was too cold and windy for my taste.
Not in Kensington, but a friend recommended Hoppers, which is Sri Lankan food. I wasn't able to fit it in.
If you're there on a Sunday, don't miss out on a roast lunch. In Notting Hill, try The Mall Tavern, recommended by TimeOut magazine. Wherever you choose, it's best to make a reservation. And you'll probably want a nap after.
Out of London trips- St Albans for the Cathedral and the Romans- 16 minutes by non stop train from St Pancras (+ slower trains);
Rochester - Cathedral, Castle, Charles Dickens- 44 minutes from St Pancras, also it's twin town of Chatham (3 minutes further on) for it's Historic Dockyard.
If you like music, then I would recommend a trip to East London to visit the V&A Storehouse and V&A East, both of them have excellent exhibits (David Bowie for Storehouse and Music is Black for East). While I liked V&A Storehouse, V&A East has just opened and there is not much to see. One thing if you or your granddaughter are into fashion, we met some fashion students who arranged to check out some fabrics and were using that for their own design inspiration. You can find out how to check out items on the V&A Storehouse website.
If you have not been to East London on a Sunday, the markets are a blast. We were just there this past week and we found so many amazing unique creations, great vintage finds, and the food is amazing. We spent the morning there and really enjoyed soaking up the local vibes.
For Indian restaurants near Kensington, would recommend Dishoom. The food is amazing and it is housed in an old art deco building. In addition, they also have live music on Thursdays and Fridays.
Outside London trips:
Bletchley Park
Whitsable
Cambridge
Salisbury and Stonehenge
New Forest
Margate
Rye
Thames Barrier Museum
Other places to go, and good fish and chip options
Edit 1 : Mudchute Farm
Edit 2: Review the London Walks website www.walks.com to see if any peak your interest
Edit 3: Battersea Power Station Conversion
Edit 4: https://www.hobsonsfishandchips.com/
Another Outside London sight is Hampton Court Palace, if you haven’t been there, or even if you have! Henry VIII had a major impact on the place, but it has additional history, and some great gardens onsite, too.
Totally random, but we like gardens, so today we visited Clifton Nursery in Maida Vale. A beautiful garden centre - nice lunch as a pub nearby and a walk up the very peaceful canal to look at the houseboats, before heading to Camden Market.
+1 to fhe suggestion of St Albans for St Albans Abbey and Verulamium.
My sixteen year old daughter and I were in London in February. She loves to shop so we went to Selfridges, Fortnum and Mason and Harrods! Didn't buy much but had fun looking around.
Also went to Mudchute Farm and pet the sheep. There was a mall over in Canary Wharf (can't think of it's name) too, that we enjoyed. We also visited a dog cafe (King's Dog Daycare) and a cat cafe (Java Whiskers).
I second the above suggestion to visit Hampton Court Palace.
You could see Salisbury and Stonehenge on an easy daytrip.
Best chippie - not in Kensington, but in the whole of London - is the Golden Union. It’s at 38 Poland Street, which is steps from Liberty London and Carnaby Street, both of which would be fun for both of you.
But back to the fish ‘n’ chips: fish is immaculately fresh. Batter is ethereally light and crispy. Chips are proper. Service is delightful. Restaurant is super cute. Jukebox is free! The food is not cheap. But it’s perfect. Cheaper than the Mayfair Chippie, and superior.
The Battersea Power Station would be another worthwhile destination for a shopping excursion - the iconic building is impressive both inside and out, and there are many dining options, both inside the mall and in the new developments near the river.
hey hey lwbeachgirl
welcome aboard the forum. when are you planning this trip and how many nights/days?
i had saved this website when we were planning with so many ideas to check out that are offered. click the headings that may interest you, some are reduced rates, 2 for 1 teas, restaurants, travel, more+
wowcher.co.uk
good luck and have fun
aloha
How about the new Queen Elizabeth II garden in Regent Park. If you want a peek beforehand & have BritBox, there is an episode on the opening on Gardeners World.
There was this thread - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/richmond-visit
It's six months old but does have some good ideas. I went to Marble Hill for a morning and it was a nice visit.
I was also going to visit Ham House but it was closed to visitors the day I was going to go.
My wife and I had a great morning at the Old Bailey (London’s major criminal court) where we heard witness examinations in two different cases for about an hour, each… back in 2010.
The security folks know what’s going on in the various courtrooms and will steer you in the right direction. Real life drama so reminiscent of Witness for the Prosecution.
Read up in RS’ book (or elsewhere) about what you can and cannot take into the courthouse and leave your cameras, backpacks [LATE ADDITION - cell phones; Thnx Cat] and whatever back at your hotel or whatever possible storage locker that Rick is recommending, nearby. (His current book has a different recommendation than the 2010 book and at some interim point there was no recommended storage site nearby.)
My wife and I still recall the Defense barrister’s cross-examination of a key witness for the Crown in a murder case, how he gently led her down the primrose path in the kindest, sweetest manner with no leading questions, and how she first admitted and the denied what she said in response to the last question: “So that’s when you decided to put the frame on Jimmy.”
As only a British Judge can do, His Lordship then turned to the jury and said. “Maybe she just made it up.” (American judges cannot comment on the evidence.)
The other case, involving possession of The Terrorism Handbook on a computer was interesting, though less compelling. His Lordship in that case was well over 80. He questioned counsel whether the jurors were understanding the evidence. Clearly, the only person in the courtroom who had that difficulty was the judge, himself.
The thing that's tricky about visiting the Old Bailey is you can't bring a phone in with you and there is no place to store it. So your options are leaving your phone at home/your hotel, which is a problem if you need it for maps, payments, etc, or seeing if you feel comfortable leaving it at a local shop where they will look after it. Another option is if you're in a group or there's at least two of you, you can take turns going in while someone holds the phones. Alternatively, they run tours on some weekends. The advantage is you can bring your phone with you, take photos, and visit some parts of the building you can't during the week. The disadvantage is you won't see any actual cases being tried as the building is otherwise empty. I did one of these tours last year and really enjoyed it.
I just spent several weeks in London, staying in Kensington, and I really enjoyed taking the bus to Richmond Park to see the fallow deer. The park is huge and beautiful and the deer are descendants of the population that the King would hunt on this preserve. I had a very good Indian meal at Masala Zone in the Earl's Court area of Kensington. There is also Dishoom as others have mentioned.
I enjoyed visiting the Handel & Hendrix museum in London. Both musicians lived there. There’s a re-creation of Jimi’s bedroom that is really cool. It’s small and takes about an hour.
https://handelhendrix.org/
Greenwich Observatory is my suggestion. Absolutely incredible for anyone interested in navigation or timekeeping.
Research Ian Visits website!
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/
One of the wonderful things about London is that while there are a plethora of sights to see in town, its also a great place to use as a base for excursions.
In addition to what the others have mentioned, you have the Sky Garden, the Postal Museum with its own underground railroad, and the London Transport Museum all in town.
If you are willing to travel about an hour and a half by train, there is Canterbury or Arundel. Cambridge has been mentioned but stay on the train about 10 minutes longer and go to Ely and visit its cathedral and the Oliver Cromwell House. Another you might like is Warwick Castle.
Hope this helps!
We loved the tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre! It’s super interesting and engaging, and only takes about an hour. The Southwark area is fun to explore after, especially on a nice day as it’s lively along Thames Path on the water.
